Zacherlfabrik

Discover the cool history of Zacherlfabrik! This epic Vienna landmark has a wild story, unique looks, and hosted some awesome events. Dive into its amazing past now!

Zacherlfabrik’s Unique Look

To understand why Zacherlfabrik looks this way, we need to explore the Zacherl family. The Zacherls became a prominent Austrian family of manufacturers. During their peak, they had branches of their shops in cities like Paris, Constantinople, Amsterdam, London, and even New York and Philadelphia.

The Journey of Zacherl

Zacherl was born in Munich in 1814, where he learned tin casting in his father’s workshop. Then, during his obligatory journey to take the master craftsman exam and to develop his skills, he traveled through Vienna to Tbilisi. We can assume that during this trip, Zacherl had to make mandatory stops where he honed his craft under local masters. He received certificates detailing the places and the number of weeks he worked. According to tradition, he had to wear traditional apprentice attire, including wide pants, a vest, a jacket, a shirt, and a hat, so he could be easily identified as an apprentice during his travels.

Zacherl’s Ventures and Legacy

In Tbilisi, Zacherl married, but his wife tragically died during childbirth. In 1842, he established a business trading between Vienna and Tbilisi. His company exported tea, carpets, insecticides, medical products, and toys. The most famous product was a powder called Zacherlin, made from chrysanthemums, which became very popular in Europe.

In 1854, Zacherl arrived in Vienna and opened a shop in a central location. By 1870, he began producing insect powder on Nußwaldgasse. Zacherl died before the completion of Zacherlfabrik, and his son took over the company.

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The Unique Zacherlfabrik

The factory in its current form was built between 1888 and 1892. The appearance of the factory is unique in Europe. There are only a few commercial buildings in Europe that feature the Orientalist historicism style. The factory complex stands at the edge of gardens with old trees. Once, greenery spilled from the garden to the area in front of the factory. The factory’s design, resembling an oriental Persian mosque, likely reflects experiences gathered in Tbilisi, where flowers for insecticide production were sourced.

There is also a water tower on the premises, modeled after a pavilion displayed at the 1873 World’s Fair in Vienna. After the father’s death, Zacherl’s son took over the business and expanded production. He introduced new methods for preserving carpets and furs. Later, Gregor Zacherl, the founder’s grandson, inherited the company. Unfortunately, the business faced challenges during the first and second world wars, which led to its closure. Finally, the company was removed from the business register in 1954, marking the end of over 100 years of operations.

Currently, the factory stands unused. Since 2006, it has hosted artistic events, but due to legal requirements and the building not being suited for such activities, the initiative was legally halted.